Discovering Dazzling Gems: Top 12 Fun Facts About Rubies You Won't Believe!

1. Picky Redhead Rubies

Who knew rubies could be picky redheads, too: The most valuable rubies are those with a pure, vibrant red to slightly purplish red hue, and if it strays too orange or too light, it might just get "demoted" to a pink sapphire. What a colorful conundrum!
Source => gia.edu

2. Ancient Spell-Breaker Skill

If rubies had a CV, they'd put “ancient spell-breaker” under special skills: these stunners were once believed to possess the power to protect their wearers from harm and banish evil spirits, a belief that persists today in spiritual healing practices.
Source => intercontinentaljewelers.com

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=> Fun Facts about Mermaids

3. Ruby's Glow-in-the-Dark Party Trick

Feeling a little blue? Just give Ruby a light tickle, and watch her blush a mesmerizing red! In this game of hues and chromes, expect some glow-in-the-dark shenanigans: Rubies emit red fluorescence when excited by visible light due to the presence of chromium impurities, and this brilliant phenomenon can be measured accurately with a dual integrating sphere spectrometer.
Source => onlinelibrary.wiley.com

4. The Fabulous Corundum Family Member

If rubies could talk, they'd surely say, "You can't sit with us" to their less flashy corundum cousins: In order to be considered a ruby, a corundum must contain enough chromium to bless it with that iconic red hue, clearly making them the most fabulous members of the corundum family in comparison to their color-confused sibling, sapphire.
Source => ga.gov.au

5. Sparkling Sensation Outpricing Diamonds

Move over, diamonds! There's a new sparkling sensation in town, and it's stealing the limelight (and your pocket) on the red carpet: untreated rubies can increase in price faster than diamonds, especially in larger carat sizes, with high-quality rubies being so rare that they can even fetch higher prices than white diamonds at auction.
Source => thenaturalrubycompany.com

6. Tough and Dazzling Gem Kings

Rubies: tougher than a two-dollar steak and nearly as dazzling as grandma's dentures – it's no wonder they're called the king of gems! The real deal: scoring a near-perfect 9 on the Mohs scale, rubies are second only to diamonds in durability, making them perfect for engagement rings, pendants, and other everyday wear, without needing to worry about cleavage (they don't have any, so no wardrobe malfunctions at the annual gemstone gala).
Source => angara.com

7. Burmese Warrior Invincibility Charms

Before Thanos had his Infinity Stones, Burmese warriors had their rubies: embedding these crimson gems under their skin, they believed it granted them invincibility in battle, making Burmese rubies highly sought after treasures even today.
Source => americangemsociety.org

8. Fiery-Tempered BBQ Rubies

Move over, diamonds: rubies are the hot-headed, fiery-tempered relatives that give you a run for your money, and much like the best barbecue sauce, they pack some serious heat with their vivacious vibes: Rubies are second only to diamonds in hardness, scoring a 9 on the Mohs scale, and their vivid red hue comes from the presence of chromium, which also causes their natural cracks and fissures. The pièce de résistance in the ruby world is found in Burma (Myanmar), but achieving this level of fabulousness over one carat is quite a rare and costly feat!
Source => americangemsociety.org

9. Geological Party Crashing Rubies

Rubies, the geological party crashers of gemstones, always seem to arrive fashionably late to metamorphic soirees: These dazzling gemstones form almost exclusively in two distinct geological environments - amphibolite to medium pressure granulite facies metamorphic belts and alkaline basaltic volcanism in continental rifting environments, spanning ages from the Archean period in Greenland to Nepal's Pliocene period.
Source => mdpi.com

10. Second Place Gemstone Superheroes

Don't toss your rubies into a diamond-encrusted haystack just yet: while they might shine bright under the glare of public misconceptions as the toughest kids on the gem block, they're actually second place winners with a 9 on the Mohs Scale of Hardness, with diamonds taking the prized 10. But fear not, ruby enthusiasts, for these red rocks are still mighty enough to withstand daily wear and the occasional cosmic adventure!
Source => thelist.com

11. Royal Ruby Protection Powers

Rubies: protecting the royal heads above the crown, and warriors predicting danger, way before superheroes did it on the silver screen! In ancient times, royalty and nobility highly valued these red-hued gems for their roles in coronation regalia and believed protection powers, while soldiers and warriors sought them for their supposed ability to foresee danger lurking nearby.
Source => bushrahashmi.com

12. Elusive Pigeon Blood Ruby

Who said pigeons are useless? Try getting your hands on the elusive Pigeon Blood Ruby – we promise it's not as morbid as it sounds: This majestic gemstone is found exclusively in Myanmar and gets its brilliant red hue from trace amounts of chromium, not radioactive pigeons. Known for its soul-uplifting powers and kicking negativity's butt, the Pigeon Blood Ruby gives a whole new meaning to "painting the town red!"
Source => bulkgemstones.com